Of Friends and Lovers
by Incubabe
Summary: COMPLETE. At an unwanted birthday party, Chloe and Lex learn they have a lot in common but how does Clark feel about it and what happens when Chloe meets the Luthor temper? (Chlex)
1. one

Disclaimer – I don't own anything or anyone… sadly enough.

Chapter One

Lex couldn't hide his disappointment at the sight of his father's limousine parked right outside the ancient front doors. As always, Lionel Luthor had completely disregarded his son's request to be left alone, he had made his visit anyway. As Lex got out of his car and looked up at the house, he sighed deeply; twinkling lights of white gaudily framed the doorway and every window and Lex dreaded to think of what he would find inside. He pushed open the heavy wooden doors and entered his home; the mansion sounded busy although the hallway was eerily empty. Lex surged forward, following the noise through to the dining hall where he found his father orchestrating a hundred people; waiters, chefs, florists and who knew what else. On Lex's entry, they scattered like frightened rats and Lionel turned around to face him.

"Happy birthday, son," he said, stepping forward and slapping Lex on the back before ushering him over to the beautifully set dining table. No more physical contact; Lex always imagined he would burn his father's skin if they touched for longer than a second. "I've arranged a small soiree in honour of the big day,"

"Gee, thanks Dad," said Lex sarcastically. He hated his birthday more than anything on this earth and always ensured he spent it alone with a bottle of single malt and a good book. He had certainly not wanted any of this; dinner, a party, company. "Dare I ask who is attending this soulless shindig of yours?"

"Lex," said Lionel, an admonishing tone to his voice. Lex turned to face him and arched an eyebrow. "Just a few business associates of mine and a handful of those friends that you have made here; Miss Lang and the ever-charming Miss Sullivan,"

"Clark?" asked Lex, a little more hope in his voice than he had intended to give away. His father nodded briskly and walked to the drinks cabinet, pouring himself a small measure of whisky and literally throwing it down his throat. "And the purpose of this evening?"

"I thought your birthday would provide the perfect opportunity for an informal gathering of the new Luthorcorp associates. Relaxed surroundings, good food, flowing alcohol," Lionel smiled to himself slightly. "You miss a lot of our new business while you're holed up in this delightful little backwater," The real reasons behind his father's seeming kindness hit Lex a little too quickly; the more relaxed businessmen became, the more relaxed their tongues become.

"I see," nodded Lex. "The perfect fact finding mission, get your associates drunk and see what truths come tumbling from their lips,"

"Now son, I said no such thing," smiled Lionel. "However, if anyone were to start talking then it certainly would be of benefit to the company to report on any weak links as it were," Lex nodded as his father spoke, he had learned long ago that it gave the impression he was listening. Lionel's booming voice had given a certain gravitas to his speech; Lex had often wondered if his father fancied himself as the leader of an army, dispensing battle strategies and war stories to the platoon. He glanced around the room briefly in the ensuing silence as Lionel checked through papers handed to him by one of the many cloned waiters. There were white flowers in every vase in the room; they reminded Lex of death. White lilies on his mother's bedside table, white lilies on his mother's coffin. He swallowed hard and focused his attention on the table, the best china and silverware was set before him; it would appear that Lionel had made every effort for the party. Lex could only wonder what secrets the new business partners were hiding if such an extravagant smokescreen was being created for them. And why had Lionel invited Lana, Chloe and Clark to these games? Was it an attempt to smooth things over between father and son, prove to Lex that he did have some interest in his life away from the business? It didn't matter. It was nothing but a ruse and Lex was far from impressed. Today was a day of isolation; he would not play along to his father's wishes or be forced into any position of authority.

"So Dad, what time are these guests of yours arriving?" he asked. "I really should change if there's time,"

"There's time," said Lionel, waving Lex away. "It's a black tie dinner though, Lex. Everyone had been informed," He turned back to the secretive whisperings of the waiter; Lex was beginning to feel worse. Not only an unwanted birthday party but a black tie affair to boot. He left the room in a maelstrom of adolescent temper, slamming the door behind him and running up the staircase to his bedroom. He would have happily locked himself in if he didn't know his father would have a locksmith out to release him within minutes.

He showered briefly, relishing the silence of those five minutes as water gushed out and drowned him. He dreaded the thought of returning to the world of business, even when it had been decorated so nicely. He dressed quickly, one of his many tailored suits in navy blue; he didn't wear a shirt but a light sweater beneath his suit jacket. There was no way he was wearing a shirt and tie to his own birthday party, no matter how farcical an occasion it was. He walked slowly down the stairs, dragging the time out as much as he could, he felt a lot calmer than when he had first arrived home and knew that the shower had blasted away most of his annoyance. As he passed the telephone, he considered calling Clark and warning him and the girls away from what was promising to be nothing more than an exercise in good management from his father. He was pondering the decision when Lionel burst into the hallway through the double doors; his long black coat flowing out behind him like a cape.

"I'm sorry, Lex but something's come up. I'm needed in Metropolis as soon as possible. I'm sure you can handle things from here on in," Lex watched as Lionel walked towards the main entrance doors, shouting back over his shoulder as he went. "I expect a report of the success of this evening to be forwarded to my office. I left your gift in the study, you can open it later," And with a heavy slam, Lionel Luthor had walked out of his son's birthday party, a party that he had fully organised and paid for against Lex's wishes. Lex didn't know why he felt surprised, it was to be expected. Lionel had always had a penchant for lavishing money and gifts on Lex but never sticking around long enough to enjoy his son's pleasure. Lex had stopped gaining pleasure from his absent father and his meaningless gifts too long ago to remember. He wandered into the study and found the small box that sat next to his laptop. He pulled the red ribbon away and lifted the lid; inside lay a small book of poetry, it looked ancient from the faded cover and creased spine, Lex wouldn't have been surprised if it was a first edition. He picked it up and thumbed through the yellowed pages, he sighed deeply, there was nothing here that he hadn't seen a hundred times already. Glancing down, he caught the silvery shine of a set of car keys; abandoning the poetry, he picked them up idly; just what he needed. Another Porsche. It was utterly depressing that this was the extent of his relationship with his father; useless gifts, unwanted visits.

He glanced through the window, watching as Lionel's limousine passed smoothly through the open gates of the manor. The gates remained open as the first guest arrived, a large silver Aston Martin similar to Lex's own pulled into the driveway. Lex moved from the study through to the lounge; he was secretly pleased that Lionel had hired so many aides for the evening; it gave him ample opportunity to indulge in a glass of scotch before dinner. He wished he had some idea of his father's plans, what details of a dinner party could he possibly want reported? Lex was still thinking over the benefits of withholding the details from Lionel when he heard one of the hostesses greeting the first guest in the hallway and offering to show him through to the study. Showtime.

The doors swung open and a man of his father's age entered the room, immediately offering an outstretched hand to Lex. He shook it firmly, combining it with his best business smile and introducing himself.

"Lex Luthor," he beamed. "I'm afraid that you've just missed my father. He's been called away on a pressing matter,"

"No worry," said the man, a faint Texan lilt to his voice. "I'm Jake Phillips, I understand it's your birthday, young man," Lex nodded, he was used to being patronised by the older members of the company, convinced that Lex was a perfect, shining example of nepotism and far too young for their world. Jake sat down in one of the leather chairs next to the fireplace while Lex poured him a glass of the lesser brand of scotch, feeling no remorse for his snobbery. "Lionel thought it would be advantageous for us to meet with you; I'm sure he's informed you of his desire to promote you to head of the new division,"

"Actually, he hadn't mentioned it but tonight is starting to make a little more sense," said Lex, sitting opposite Jake with his own drink in hand. He sipped it slowly, enjoying the lingering, warm burn at the back of his throat. "My father has been so busy lately; he's obviously neglected to inform me of these changes to the business. What exactly is this new division?"

"I'm sorry, Lex. I think maybe I should leave the nitty-gritty to your father," said Jake quietly, obviously aware that he had made a mistake by mentioning the changes at Luthorcorp. "I had no idea you were so ill-informed,"

"You would be surprised, I'm sure,"

"So," he coughed, a little uncomfortable with the direction of the conversation. "What time are the others arriving? Soon, I'll bet,"

"I would assume so," sighed Lex, hearing a car pull up on the gravel driveway and wondering just how long this torture would have to endure.


	2. two

Chapter Two

"It's official, I have never been this bored in my entire life," said Chloe, looking around the room at the whispering cliques of businessmen in matching suits. She thoughtlessly checked the straps of her black evening dress again; it was a nervous tic at functions like this. And this was definitely a function; parties were fun, _this_ was a living nightmare.

"I don't think Lex wants to be here either," said Lana. "Look at him, he's practically asleep talking to that guy," Chloe followed Lana's line of sight and smiled lazily, Lex did look just as bored as she felt.

Dinner had been a success, the food had been rich and exquisite but now, Lex wandered from person to person making meaningless conversation. He would have shown every one of them the door after the meal but his natural curiosity about the "new division" had been piqued and he was subtly gaining information from every employee present. His eyes wandered to Lana and Chloe, both looked amazing, he had never seen them in eveningwear before and the change was astounding. They looked sophisticated and elegant; Lex could clearly see the women they would become after high school was over. Chloe seemed a little awkward in her black dress, constantly adjusting the spaghetti straps and obviously aching for denim but Lana was a picture of grace and poise; every bit the princess she was trying to escape from. His train of thought was broken by another question and as Lex began to answer, he wondered where Clark had disappeared to.

"Would it be rude of us to just leave?" asked Lana quietly, looking back over her shoulder in fear of being overheard.

"Yes," said Chloe bluntly. "It's Lex's birthday party and we're probably the only people in the room that he actually likes so we have to stay. Plus side though, free alcohol," Chloe grabbed two glasses of champagne from the tray of a passing waiter and handed one to Lana, sipping at her own. Lana stared at her, a little dumbstruck but quickly relented and began drinking.

"Well, I suppose we can live like a Luthor for one night," she grinned, Chloe laughed and nodded. Why not? She would never be able to taste champagne this expensive again, she would probably never eat a finer meal in her life. Chloe and her father were not poor but she knew what luxury was and that she would never live in the lap of it as Lex did. She might as well enjoy it while she could.

"Do you think Clark's okay? He's been gone for ages,"

"Lana, this place is huge. He's probably got lost on his way back; he'll get here eventually," said Chloe, looking around the room and suddenly spying Clark enter the room from the door opposite them. "Speak of the devil and he shall appear," Lana looked up and smiled as Clark traversed the other guests to get back to his friends.

"I took a wrong turn on my way back from the bathroom," he explained, a shy smile playing on his lips.

"Guessed as much although I am surprised with the amount of time you spend here," sighed Chloe, looking past Clark for any sign of a waiter with drinks. The boredom was taking its toll on her, she wanted out and if she couldn't do that physically then she would do it mentally. She wasn't the perfect teenager, she had been drunk before and she remembered enjoying the buzz and the slight sway of the world. Anything would be better than this hell they were stuck in.

"Chloe, he's over there," said Lana, pointing across the room to their waiter. Chloe beckoned him over and liberated three glasses of Lex's finest champagne, abandoning hers and Lana's empty glasses in return; she passed the drinks around and held her own up in mock celebration.

"When did we start drinking?" asked Clark, staring into the champagne flute with a frown.

"When this party died horribly," sighed Chloe, downing half of her drink in one mouthful. "I love how champagne goes straight to your head. Clark, have you spoken to Lex tonight? What is the point of us being here if all he's going to do is ignore us in favour of these suits?"

"Suits?" laughed Lana. "When did you become all anti-establishment?" Chloe shrugged and laughed along with her, she wasn't attempting to be anti-anything, she was just a little irritated that Lex had been ignoring them all and that she was the only one bothered by it.

"Clark Kent?" came a voice from behind them, Clark spun around to face his addresser. It was a young man, slightly older than Lex but dressed just as impeccably. "My name is John Scott, I work at Luthorcorp,"

"Somehow, I don't think you're alone," smiled Clark, nodding up at the hordes of guests milling around the room. John looked at them and smiled, nodding in acknowledgement. "It was nice to meet you,"

"Clark, I did actually want to discuss something with you for a moment; if your beautiful lady friends would allow it," Chloe ignored the compliment but Lana smiled graciously and John escorted Clark away from them. "I just wanted to ask you a few questions about your relationship with the Luthor family,"

"What relationship?" stammered Clark, "I'm friends with Lex, that's all,"

"John," said Lex, striding forward to greet him. "How did you get past my security?" Clark frowned, taking a step back so Lex could get between them. "I'm almost impressed,"

"Come on, Lex. It was too perfect an opportunity to miss; how else could I get a sneak peek into the lifestyles of the super rich?" laughed John. Lex smiled with him and gestured to one of the waiters who obediently walked over to them.

"Next time, make an appointment and I'd be happy to give you the tour personally," Lex turned to the waiter. "Please ensure that Mr Scott is removed from the building and escorted off the property immediately," The waiter, if that's what he could be called, nodded wordlessly and grabbed John roughly by the arm, escorting him from the room. Lex turned to Clark and offered a half smile, snaking a hand over his head and taking comfort from its smoothness. It was a familiar move; he practiced it often.

"What was that about?" asked Clark, his eyes still resting on the doors John Scott had just left through. "Who was that guy?"

"That was a reporter for the Inquisitor, they've been trying to get in here for months," explained Lex. "I don't know why he would want to talk with you though, what did he ask?"

"Nothing," said Clark honestly, his eyes wide with shock at Lex's nonchalance at the invasion of his home by a reporter. "He just said he wanted to talk about my relationship with your family. I thought he worked for you,"

"I think that our uninvited guest has become far too adept at his meddling. I'll call my man at the Inquisitor in the morning; Mr Scott will be finding himself unemployed by the end of the week,"

"Lex," said Clark, the astonishment evident both on his face and in his tone. "Is that really necessary?" Lex smiled reassuringly, Clark would never have a head for business, he was far too eager to see the good in people. He had been brought up trusting and innocent by his adoptive parents, attributes that Lex often found himself jealous of.

"I think it's time the representatives of Luthorcorp headed home," he said, glancing across at Lana and Chloe as a drunken IT manager tried to impress them with his juggling skills. "I want to spend the rest of my birthday with the people that matter, not the mindless drones my father surrounds himself with," Clark smiled widely as Lex intercepted the IT manager and began to thank everybody for coming. Clark watched him in wonder, wishing that he could be so sure of himself, so confident. Maybe then he would be able to open up, admit his feelings for once. Maybe he would feel more at ease with his powers if only he had an ounce of Lex's charm, Lex's charisma, Lex's confidence.

"Looks like we're having a private party," grinned Lana, still drinking champagne. "Lex must have overheard you bemoaning the suits,"

"Do you think he'll lend me a sweater?" asked Chloe idly, ignoring Lana's statement. "I hate this dress," Her head was light and felt full of champagne bubbles and her only coherent thoughts were how badly she wanted her jeans and how well-developed Clark was starting to look in his hired suit. She had always noticed his incredibly muscular physique and attributed it to the farm upbringing; all that lifting and baling hay was always going to have a flattering effect on his biceps. She shook her head slightly, not enough for anyone to notice, she could acknowledge Clark's appeal but if she continued with this train of thought, she would end up exactly where she didn't want to be. It had taken her a long time to get over Clark Kent and now she had, things were feeling a lot clearer. She couldn't deal with the fog again.

"I'm sure he'll have a sweater lying around somewhere," said Clark, smiling at Chloe's obvious desire to escape eveningwear. "He's probably got hundreds," Lana giggled softly to herself and Clark wondered if she was drunk yet, her and Chloe had seemed to be on a mission to get inebriated.

"Right," said Lex, bursting through the doors dramatically and addressing Chloe, Lana and Clark in a roaring impersonation of his father. "The last of the guests have departed and I have retired the staff for the evening so it is time for us to retire ourselves to the lounge. Maybe we can salvage something from this disaster," Lana clapped her hands excitedly and stepped forward, anything would be better than standing in this room without a word to say.

"Lex, could I borrow a sweater?" ventured Chloe; Lex shot her a dazzling smile that made her blush involuntarily.

"Miss Sullivan, you can have anything you want tonight. Anything at all," He put his arms around Chloe's shoulders and began walking her towards the lounge with Clark and Lana following behind them. "Come on, you teenage alcoholics. Who wants some of the finest scotch ever made?"


	3. three

Chapter Three

"No, it really did happen like that," laughed Chloe, ignoring Clark's laughing at her and shaking his head. "I haven't been camping since that night; I don't think I've ever been so terrified,"

"Chloe, we were trying to scare you all night. There was no ghost, it was just Pete and an empty soda bottle," laughed Clark, Lana burst into fits of laughter at this revelation while Lex smiled to himself, the odd chuckle escaping his lips. "I don't think I've ever laughed as much as I did that night, your face was a picture," Chloe scowled and picked up one of the cushions she was laying on, throwing it at Clark's head and missing my millimetres.

"Hey, no violence in the lounge, thank you," said Lex before throwing a cushion at Chloe and hitting her directly in the face. She threw the cushion back and laughed more, her stomach was in knots from laughing so much and tears ran down her cheeks. The party had been transformed from a boring social function to this hysterical madness in such a short space of time; who knew that the cosmopolitan, debonair and dignified Lex Luthor could get drunk and act like a kid with the rest of them?

Lex wasn't really surprised that a full decanter of his best scotch had gone and they were slowly working through the second; it had always been clear to him that it was a superior drink. Aside from the odd glass of champagne, scotch was the only alcohol to ever pass Lex's lips. Lana hadn't liked the taste at first, she didn't like the burning sensation in her throat but now, she was sipping constantly at her fresh glass. Clark was reluctantly joining in the festivities although the alcohol was hardly affecting him. Lex was most interested in Chloe; the blonde reporter that allowed herself to live in Lana's shadow, she was luxuriating on the carpet in front of the fireplace, Lex's baggy Metropolis Sharks sweatshirt drowning her. She was clearly quite drunk but it wasn't affecting her as it did most teenage girls, Lex was only too aware of how sixteen year old girls reacted to alcohol. They either became loud and obnoxious or they started crying at the slightest thing; Chloe was reacting like a woman, not a child. The alcohol had sharpened her wit considerably and Lex couldn't help laughing at her cheap one-liners aimed at Clark or Lana, she seemed wiser somehow, as if the scotch had imbibed her with the knowledge of its lifetime. In that over-sized jumper, Chloe Sullivan looked sexier than Lex had ever realised she could be, he smiled as he realised he still had a certain fondness for women wearing his clothing.

"Lex, are you still with us?" smiled Clark, Lex snapped out of his daydream and laughed. He had clearly been a little more distracted by Chloe's allure than he had even realised, the thought concerned him. Lex had never been denied anything in his life but Chloe's relative youth was certainly going to be a stumbling block if he decided to pursue her. He cast the thought from his mind; he didn't want to risk losing Chloe's friendship just because he was a spoilt little rich boy too used to getting his own way.

Besides, he wasn't blind, no matter what was going on around them, it was quite clear that both Chloe and Lana only had eyes for Clark Kent. He didn't blame them; Clark was obviously attractive and closer to their own age too. He smiled to himself; the scotch must have gone to his head if he was bemoaning the fact that two sixteen year old girls were more attracted to Clark than they were to him. And if he was thinking about how attractive Clark was, maybe it was time to stop drinking altogether. He laughed quietly to himself and stretched out in his chair, taking another mouthful from his glass, it was too good to stop drinking yet.

"Does this castle of yours have any good ghost stories, Lex?" asked Lana, curling her feet underneath her as she snuggled into the corner of the sofa a little more. Her glass of scotch balanced precariously on the arm; she reached out and grabbed it, fearful it would fall if she let go of it for too long.

"Not really," sighed Lex. "I think they got left behind in Scotland when it was moved. I did hear one when I was in Metropolis but it's a little too scary for you girls," Taking the bait instantly, Chloe sat up from her laying position and stared at Lex.

"Too scary for us girls?" she said, defensively. "I think me and Lana can take a lot more than you give us credit for," Lex smiled at Clark who was shaking his head; he had learned by now to never play the gender card when Chloe was at the table. "Come on, Luthor; give us your best shot,"

Lex smiled and leaned in slightly, creating a more enclosed space and began to weave his ghost story of an old man, a creaking floorboard and the office at the end of the hall in the Metropolis Luthorcorp building. Even Clark was rapt by the end of the tale, listening eagerly to the surprise ending of Lex's tale of jilted love, suicidal bankers and a world gone mad. At the end, Lana and Chloe were both in silence, staring up at Lex with wide eyes and slightly open mouths. Lana didn't want to admit that she had been petrified throughout the story while Chloe was trying to keep her mouth shut about the fact that Lex's voice had given her shivers. And not the kind that you usually get with ghost stories.

The low timbre of his voice had reverberated through her body and as he told the story, the orange glow of the fire had reflected in his eyes, giving them an eerie spark that Chloe had not been able to ignore. She was certain she had just stared into his eyes throughout the entire story but this was Lex Luthor, he wouldn't have noticed some little girl making eyes at him. She coughed slightly and fidgeted a little, she felt guilty although she had no idea why.

"Are you okay, Chloe? You look a little nervous," smiled Clark, Chloe looked up at him and laughed softly. "Ah, I knew you were a tough nut,"

"Lex, where's the bathroom?" asked Chloe, her voice a little louder than she had first anticipated. She only hoped that when she stood from the floor, her legs didn't give out beneath her and send her crashing to the floor again. How embarrassing would that be?

"I will show you, Miss Sullivan. We don't want the ghosts to jump out at you," smiled Lex, rising from his chair and offering her his hand. "Or Louis for that matter," Clark laughed and watched as Lex escorted Chloe out of the lounge and up the corridor.

"Did you call your Mom?" asked Lana, drinking from her full glass. "Tell her that we were staying over?"

"Yeah, Dad wasn't happy about it but I promised I'd do an extra hour of chores to make up for it tomorrow. I think that quietened him down a bit," he smiled, Lana laughed. It sounded a lot like Jonathon Kent; everyone in Smallville was fully aware that there was no love lost when it came to the Luthor family, particularly Lex. "Did you and Chloe tell Mr Sullivan?"

"We told him before we left," nodded Lana. "I knew there was no way we were escaping the Luthor Castle tonight, you know what Lex is like when we all get together. Remember last week at the Talon? We were all late home for dinner because he couldn't stop talking," Clark laughed at the memory.

"I think he just gets lonely holed up here all the time. It's weird, he can have anything he wants but I bet all he wants is to be normal. I don't know what I'd do if I was this rich," sighed Clark, looking around the room in awe. "There's so much stuff in this place, it's like a museum, not a home. I couldn't live like this,"

"We shouldn't judge, Clark. I'm sure Lex enjoys living here, no matter what we think about it," said Lana; she was always quick to defend anyone she liked. It was an aspect of Lana's character that Clark deeply admired and sometimes saw within himself.

"I'm not judging, I was just making an observation," he laughed and stuck his tongue out at her. She laughed loudly, the peals of laughter gradually dying away as she lay back into the sofa and relaxed. The two of them were silent for an age and Clark revelled in just how comfortable they had become. Gone were the days of his awkward nature and her shyness, they were best friends and they were comfortable together. They could talk about anything or, like now, they could just be quiet and enjoy being close. After a while, Clark frowned and looked across at Lana, she was almost asleep but opened her eyes when she felt Clark shift his weight on the sofa, she sat up immediately.

"What's wrong?" she asked, coughing slightly at the taste of the scotch at the back of her throat.

"Nothing, it's just that Lex and Chloe have been gone for a while. Do you think they're okay?" he asked, looking at the double doors as if they would walk back into the room any second, laughing and joking. "Maybe Chloe's being sick or something, she's had a lot to drink tonight,"

"Clark, Lex is with her. Don't worry," sighed Lana, closing her eyes again, unable to keep them open any longer. Clark watched as she drifted back into a dreamless sleep and stood, walking slowly to the doors. As he reached them, he could hear noise coming from the hallway; he pushed the door open slightly and peered through the gap. Chloe was leaning against the hallway wall while Lex stood in front of her, one arm extended to balance himself as they whispered.

"Mr Luthor, I really don't think that kind of language is appropriate in this situation," smiled Chloe, Clark noticed that she was flashing him her big smile. The one that lit up her entire face, making her even more beautiful than she already was. "But I think I'll let you off with it just this once,"

Lex leaned in and murmured something into Chloe's ear that Clark couldn't make out and then he watched as Chloe snaked her arms around Lex's neck and pulled him towards her, opening her mouth in readiness for his own. He couldn't believe it; Chloe and Lex, Lex and Chloe. He couldn't seem to move his legs, he felt glued to the spot, unable to look away as if witnessing a car crash. Chloe shifted her weight so she could move closer to Lex, pressing her whole body against him as he devoured her, kissing her neck and her earlobes as Chloe moaned softly.

Clark looked away and let the door close quietly before rejoining Lana on the sofa. He stared into the fire; how could this have happened? Why hadn't he seen it coming? Lex had never mentioned any interest in Chloe and Chloe had never said anything about her feelings for Lex. They were friends; they were friends just like he and Chloe were. Except that Clark knew he and Chloe were no longer friends, he couldn't lie to himself and after witnessing the scene in the hallway, he was certain that the lies were gone forever. He was jealous, he was jealous of Lex and not just of his charm and charisma and confidence but of the fact that he had Chloe. Lex had Chloe and Clark had nothing. He looked across at Lana and sighed, what was he supposed to do now? He leaned into the opposite corner of the sofa and closed his eyes, he may not have felt like sleeping but there was nothing else he could do to block out the mental images of Lex's lips on her throat and that noise of hers that he had wanted for himself.


	4. four

Chapter Four

Clark paced the office of the Torch mindlessly, pausing occasionally to look out of the window for some sign of her, any sign. Chloe was late this morning and Clark was worried, she was only ever late in on release days but today was just another day. She should have been here by now. He gave up pacing and sat at Chloe's computer, idly fingering papers and documents, looking through the in-tray for any decent news. It wasn't enough; his mind was back at the Luthor Manor as he replayed the scene over and over in his head until he was sure he would crack. He couldn't forget that tiny, soft moan that had escaped her lips as he kissed her. Not Clark but Lex. It made him ache inside and he wondered just how long he had felt this way about Chloe without fully realising. He had wanted to be the one to kiss her like that, to have her kiss him back the way she had kissed Lex. He had wanted to be the one. He slammed the papers in his hands down onto the desk in a flash of temper and was surprised to see a deep crack running through the wood; he sighed loudly and stood up again. He continued to pace the office floor until the door opened behind him and Chloe stepped in, hanging her jacket and bag on the back of the door and smiling at Clark.

"Morning," she beamed. "Man, I really thought I was gonna be late this morning. My car has died completely, she's just given up. I had to beg for Dad to drop me off on his way to work,"

"I thought you were a little late," nodded Clark, sitting down on the old sofa and running a nervous hand through his hair. He wanted to scream at her, to tell her how he felt, to shout out everything he had seen and heard but he couldn't. They were friends, he had to give her the opportunity to tell him what had happened, he couldn't possibly admit to invading her privacy. "I didn't get to see you before I left the mansion on Sunday morning," Chloe looked at him, her eyes flickering with something Clark couldn't place; fear, nerves, panic.

"Yeah, I spent the night in one of the bedrooms; I didn't wake up until way after midday. I think all that booze went straight to my head," she laughed nervously, hoping that Clark couldn't see straight through her deception. "By the time I finally came down, you and Lana were gone," Silence. Clark stared at her, steely-eyed. "Did you have a good night? I thought it turned out to be quite a wild party after those stuffy guys went home,"

"It was definitely interesting," he ventured. "Although Lana and I were wondering where you and Lex had disappeared to," There; he had mentioned it now and he regretted it instantly. Why did he have to bring it up? At least he had given her the opportunity to come clean and just tell him the truth. Be honest with him the way they were supposed to be.

"I pretty much collapsed after I got out of the bathroom, Lex made sure I wasn't going to choke on my own puke and put me to bed. I thought he went back down to you guys," said Chloe, busying herself with the paperwork Clark had been jumbling up before she arrived. "Maybe you were asleep by the time he got back to you; Lana said she was pretty tired,"

Clark was silent; Chloe had blatantly lied to him about what had happened with Lex. She didn't trust him enough to even tell him that she had kissed his best friend, he felt hurt and betrayed. Chloe may have hidden the truth for fear of hurting him but the damage was already done, she should have just been honest with him. They had fought so often about that very thing and now, here she was, lying to him about something as simple as a kiss. He glared at her and could tell she was getting uncomfortable with it.

"Where did this crack come from?" she asked with a frown, running her finger along the groove Clark had made in his temper.

"I know about you and Lex, Chloe. You don't have to pretend," he spat at her. Chloe looked up at him, her eyes wide with shock and confusion at how Clark could possibly know what had happened between her and the boy billionaire.

"Clark, I…"

"I saw you, I went out to see if you were okay and I saw you kissing him in the hallway. He was all over you, Chloe," he said, not caring if he was shouting now. Chloe glanced at the glass window in the office door; other students just arriving at school were staring through, wondering what all the fuss was about.

"Jesus, Clark. Keep your voice down, I don't get what the big deal is," she said, dropping the papers and walking around the desk to sit opposite him on the sofa. She turned to face him but he couldn't look at her. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you but I thought you'd think it was weird. I mean, Lex is older than us, you might've thought it was sick or something,"

"It's not that, Chloe. It's the fact that you lied to me, I thought you wanted us to be honest with each other but you lied to me anyway. Sometimes, I don't understand you at all," he snapped, he didn't really know what he was saying but all of his feelings and confusions about Chloe were coming out of him in a torrent of words. "What are we doing? I thought we were friends but things have been weird between us for a while,"

"We are friends, we've talked about this. We're _just_ friends; I can't handle anything else with you, Clark. It's too intense and I always get hurt. I've told you before, I feel like a back-up plan with you. Whenever things don't work out with Lana, you fall back to me. You couldn't make up your mind and now, it's just too late. I've given you so many chances, I can't do this anymore," she said angrily.

"This is not about wanting to be with you…" started Clark.

"Isn't it?" she asked, her voice rising to compete with his. "Isn't that exactly what _this_ is? You're jealous because I kissed Lex and not you,"

"No, Chloe. You don't get it, I'm not jealous; I'm just upset that I'm not important enough for you to talk to about this stuff. We're supposed to be best friends but you just lied to me. I can't believe you lied to me about the simplest thing in the world,"

"You are a lousy liar, Clark," she sighed, dropping her head into her hands. "Can we just drop all this friends crap because this has got nothing to do with us being friends and everything to do with us being together,"

"We're not together," he said. "How can it be about us being together when we're not together?" Clark was on his feet now, pacing the office again and wondering why he was getting so mad at her. They had both ignored the ringing bell ushering in the first class of the day; this was too important, this had been coming for weeks.

"God, you are so infuriating," she said, clutching at her hair as if wishing she could tear it out in anger. "You talk about being honest but you can't even be honest with yourself. Just look me in the eye, Clark, look me in the eye and tell me that you aren't jealous of Lex," Clark looked away from her and she sighed. "It makes a nice change from me being jealous of Lana,"

"Is that what this is about? Are you getting back at me because I stupidly chose Lana over you? It was a mistake, Chloe, a stupid mistake. Don't punish me because of that," said Clark, sitting down next to her and grabbing her hand.

"Get over yourself," she sighed. "This has got nothing to do with you. Did it never occur to you that I might like Lex? I mean, he's attractive, he's funny and he's very charming, why wouldn't I like a guy like that? Or don't you think I deserve someone like that?"

"Chloe…" started Clark but he was interrupted by Chloe's cell-phone ringing loudly from her bag. She didn't let him finish his sentence, jumping up from the sofa to grab her bag and dig out her vibrating phone from the bottom of it. She smiled subtly when she saw the name flashing on the screen and pushed the green 'answer' button.

"Hey Lex," she smiled; she didn't even look up to see the expression on Clark's face. She didn't even notice his anger until the door slammed behind him as he stormed out of the office and away from her. She sighed sadly and carried on speaking to Lex.


	5. five

Author's Note - A huge thanks to everyone reading this; the feedback has been amazing and most appreciated. I'm away for a fortnight now so I hope this chapter keeps you interested and that you all come back when I do… Thanks again, Diana xx

Chapter Five

Lana sat opposite Clark in the Talon, nodding empathetically and listening intently as he tried to explain his mixed feelings on the surprising relationship that had blossomed between Chloe Sullivan and Lex Luthor. Lana herself had been pleased that Chloe had found someone, happy that Chloe was happy but now, she had to be there for Clark and her opinion on Chloe's relationship wasn't what he wanted to hear. She had never seen Clark in such a state of confusion before, she was fully aware that Clark had always carried a soft spot for Chloe and that once upon a time, Chloe had loved Clark more than anything but those days were over now. Except it was becoming clear that those days were still at the forefront of Clark's mind.

"Maybe you should try talking to her again," offered Lana, sipping at her latte as Clark shook his head and glanced idly out of the window. "I'm sure she misses you, you haven't spoken to her in ages,"

"I can't talk to her without getting mad at her," he sighed, his fingers still stroking the mug of coffee before him. It was full to the brim, but it was stone cold. "I don't know what's wrong with me; I just become this completely different person around her now,"

"Well, I think you need to ask yourself why. Chloe hasn't changed, Clark, she's still the same person. I mean, do you have feelings for her?" asked Lana, Clark looked up at her with wide eyes but Lana was not accepting any of his innocent "playing dumb" techniques. "Well?"

"No," said Clark, shaking his head as if to emphasise the point. "No, of course not, it's just that…" He tailed off and stared out of the window again, looking out at nothing in particular.

"Of course not," echoed Lana with a sigh. She was rapidly losing her patience, she had never seen Clark so moody and his inability to admit to his feelings was driving her mad. A few simple words would have the world at rights again but somehow, she couldn't coax them out of him. He was still refusing to open up. "Do you want another coffee?"

"No, thanks," he mumbled, Lana sighed and curled her hands into fists. She didn't think she could ever be so angry with him, this moping farm-boy was not the Clark Kent she had known so well for the last three years, this was someone else completely. She stood up from the table and walked across to the Talon counter, ordering another latte for herself. As she stood waiting for her drink, the bell above the door jangled loudly and she spun around, curious to see who had entered the shop and wishing she hadn't bothered when she saw Lex and Chloe walking in. Chloe glanced at Clark and then back to Lex before starting to move to the opposite side of the shop; Clark had made no acknowledgement of their presence. Lana sighed again, drastic times called for drastic measures.

"Chloe, why don't you join me and Clark? I'll get you some drinks now," she called from the counter and Chloe smiled at her, nodding and pulling up a chair next to Clark. Lana watched surreptitiously as she ordered Chloe's usual almond mocha latte and Lex's cappuccino; Chloe's smile had disappeared in the face of Clark's melancholy and Lex was attempting to make conversation but failing miserably. Lana grabbed the tray of hot drinks and practically raced over to the table; she only hoped that her diplomatic skills were up to scratch, she'd never sat in on a peace treaty before, coaxing a conversation out of the silence was going to be a major feat.

"Thanks Lana," smiled Lex as she handed out the drinks and sat next to Clark. She smiled back and sipped at her own latte; with a brief caffeine buzz maybe she could begin strangling a conversation out of the table.

"So, what have you guys been up to?" she asked, keeping an ever watchful eye on Clark. He still hadn't offered a smile to Lex or Chloe but he had looked up from his cold coffee and that was a start.

"Lex had a meeting in Metropolis so I went with him, did some shopping," nodded Chloe, blowing onto her drink to cool it down slightly. "What about you two?" Lana kicked Clark softly in the shin and looked at him meaningfully; he swallowed hard and coughed at the shock.

"Nothing much, we just met up for a drink," he said, his voice so soft that it was barely audible but it was enough for Lana, he had answered Chloe's question. It was a start. "Except I wasn't really thirsty," he smiled glancing down at his mug and Chloe laughed.

"Did you buy anything?" asked Lana.

"Yeah, I bought this really cool top. It's the one I showed you, Clark, last time we went to Metropolis," she said excitedly. "The red one with the safety pin in the sleeve?"

"Yeah, I remember, I thought it looked good," he nodded.

"And it does," smiled Lex, reaching out for Chloe's hand. She accepted the display of public affection, knowing only too well what a big deal it would be to him, but her eyes flickered to Clark. She hoped that it wasn't too much for him; they hadn't spoken about her and Lex since their fight in the Torch two weeks ago. She had missed him, she had missed everything about him; their conversations about nothing at all, their study sessions, their work on the Torch, she had missed his smile and his eyes. She had missed his friendship, if only she had told him the truth from the very beginning. She couldn't change things now; she could only attempt to fix them.

"Look, you guys," started Clark and Lana flinched, hoping that Clark wasn't about to leave on account of his friends. "I've been a real idiot lately and I don't think I really know the reason why but I just want to say sorry. I just want you to be happy,"

"Thanks Clark, it means a lot," said Lex, smiling at him from across the table. Clark flushed slightly but nodded, accepting Lex's thank you and accepting the fact that he had Chloe. It was a bitter pill to swallow but it was one that he needed to take.

"It was just a shock, that's all," he explained, his eyes flickering between Lex and Chloe. "I mean, it wasn't something that I saw coming, it was a bit of a shock," Chloe nodded and placed a hand on Clark's arm.

"I know and I wish I had told you the truth when you gave me the chance," she sighed; Clark placed a hand on top of hers and squeezed gently. Lana smiled at the sight; this was all she had wanted, Chloe and Clark on speaking terms again. Maybe they would never be as close as they were but at least they had the chance now.

"I'm sorry if we hurt you in any way, Clark," said Lex, placing a hand on Chloe's shoulder, emphasising the 'we' and staking his claim in one minute gesture. "I wanted to tell you as soon as possible but we wanted to make sure you would be okay with it all,"

"Well, I am now," he smiled. "But I need to get a drink, this one's cold," He stood up from the table and walked briskly to the counter, grateful for the excuse to escape the glow of the happy couple. He glanced back over his shoulder to see Chloe talking animatedly with Lana while Lex stroked the top of her arm. He turned away; he didn't want to see them like that.

Clark knew that his lies had not fooled Lana and they weren't fooling him either. The fact that Chloe was with Lex hurt him more than Kryptonite ever could; the sight of them happily chatting together was like a knife to his heart and he felt ridiculous. His irrational mind was telling him that they were laughing at him but he knew it was unlikely as neither of them knew about his feelings for Chloe. He didn't think he had ever even felt this way about Lana but maybe if Lex had stolen her away from him then he would have. He was so confused, he didn't know if his anger was directed towards Chloe for not seeing that he wanted her or towards Lex for not seeing that Chloe was his world, for stealing his friend away from him. He picked up his coffee and sighed, taking a sip and starting to move back towards the table.

"Clark, we were just telling Lana about this dinner party thing Lex is having soon," grinned Chloe as Clark rejoined the table. "You have to come too; we had such a good time last time, don't you think?" Clark glanced over at Lex and smiled, nodding mutely as he sipped at his coffee, burning his tongue.

"Yeah, I should be able to make it. I don't think Dad will be impressed but I'll work something out with him," Chloe nodded and smiled.

"I always meant to ask how you got round him last time," smiled Lex and Clark looked up, smiling back. Maybe his anger had been misdirected, maybe he was angry with himself for not telling Chloe about his feelings for her sooner and he had deliberately been alienating himself from his friends for no good reason. As much as he hated to admit it,_ that_ sounded much more likely than anything else he could come up with.


	6. six

Chapter Six

Chloe scanned the room with bored eyes and sipped at her champagne nonchalantly; she'd already lost count of how many glasses she had drained. She had lost Lex to yet another bevy of businessmen but she didn't really mind. She understood that it was his sole purpose for being here but she hated being alone, especially when all the other women in the room looked stunning in their evening-wear while she just looked and felt awkward. Distractedly, she stroked the spaghetti straps of the indigo blue silk gown Lex had bought her specifically for this function. He had seemed so pleased with himself and she hadn't the heart to tell him that she would never ever wear it again. She walked alone around the room, gazing up at the artwork adorning the white walls of the room, occasionally glancing back to Lex and the men who hung on his every word. She wondered if the other women were jealous of her, that this graceless teenager had managed to attend a function of this importance on the arm of Lex Luthor no less. She smiled to herself at the thought and walked with a little more attitude; even though her heels were killing her.

"Miss Sullivan?" said a voice and she spun around to face a tall, thin man in the same suit as most of the other men in the room. He was already offering his hand and she frowned as she shook it firmly. "I'm John Scott; I noticed that you arrived with Mr Luthor,"

"Yes, I did," she said simply and turned back to the paintings, frowning to herself as recognition hit.

"I wanted to ask, does Mr Luthor ever discuss his business dealings with you? For instance, there are rumours that he is about to takeover a new chemical company, a company interested in Middle Eastern affairs," he asked, Chloe looked down into her champagne flute and cursed her journalistic curiosity as she turned to face John.

"Who are you and why the hell would you think Lex would discuss business with me?" she asked, curtly.

"I work for the Inquisitor," he said in a hushed tone. "I was informed that you have some interest in journalism, I was thinking that you would be an interesting addition to the Inquisitor staff considering your relationship to Mr Luthor,"

"I'm sorry, Mr Scott but you're way out of line," she said and walked away, hoping that she was maintaining some semblance of dignity despite the fact that she could barely walk in her too-high shoes. She headed towards Lex and the businessmen, she didn't want to interrupt them but Lex surely needed to know that there were paparazzi in the room. She was certain that John Scott had not been invited.

"Chloe," he said as she slipped her arm through his, she smiled up at him as he introduced her to the men he was speaking with. She smiled politely and asked if she could speak with him for a moment, he excused himself graciously and walked away with her. "What's going on?"

"Some Inquisitor guy just tried to buy me," she said, the indignation clear in her eyes. Lex glanced over the top of her head and looked around the room quickly. "His name was John Scott, I'm sure he was at your birthday party but he said he worked for you then. It's weird, right?"

"Not really, Chloe. A lot of reporters come to these things, it's a price you have to pay for being a Luthor," he sighed. "Now I need to get back to my meeting, do you think you can keep yourself out of trouble?" He walked away from her, striding back into the circle of men with ease and leaving Chloe angry.

"Don't treat me like a child, Lex," she shouted after him, a hush spread over the room as all eyes focused on the couple. Lex turned to face her, he said nothing but the look in his eyes was clearly meant to shut her up. It wasn't going to work, Lex's previous insipid girlfriends may have known their place with him but Chloe wasn't his arm candy, she was her own woman. "What's going on anyway? What's all this crap about Middle Eastern deals?" There was a sharp intake of breath from around the room and Chloe realised that she had just made a huge mistake; why did she have to open her mouth? She knew only too well that her tongue had been loosened by too many glasses of free champagne and she felt every bit the awkward teenager everyone else saw her as.

"Chloe, please go and wait in the car. I'll be out in a moment," said Lex calmly and turned away from her, apologising for her to his peers. Chloe felt terrible, Lex had made her feel so small in front of everyone in that room and all she could do was walk from the room with her head held high, pretending that it didn't bother her and trying desperately not to cry. She vowed under her breath to never touch another drop of alcohol again.

Lex slammed the door of his study shut and strode meaningfully towards the decanter of scotch that sat on his chest of drawers. His eyes were blazing with anger and his silence gave away more than he could ever say. Chloe watched him quickly down a shot before pouring out a good measure into his glass. She let herself drop into the leather chair next to the unlit fireplace, the mansion was cold and Chloe pulled her shawl tighter around her shoulders. Lex sauntered over and sat opposite her, she hated him so much right now. This was a side of Lex she had never seen, this was Metropolis Lex and he was as hard and cold as his father.

"You've been drinking the whole trip home, don't you think you've had enough?" she murmured quietly, Lex looked at her icily and took a mouthful of scotch in defiance. Enough was enough. Chloe stood up from her chair and stood over Lex. "I have apologised enough, Lex. I can't keep saying I'm sorry. I'm going home; I don't even want to see you right now. Can you organise a car for me or am I walking?"

"You're not going anywhere," growled Lex, jumping up and pushing her back down onto the chair. He was pacing now, obviously incensed but Chloe didn't care. She wasn't some object he could just push around. "All you had to do was be my girlfriend, that's all. Why do you feel it necessary to mouth off about things you have no understanding of?" Chloe stood again, abandoning her shawl to the chair and jabbing a finger into Lex's chest.

"Don't patronise me, Lex, I am not a fucking kid. I can say what I like to whoever I like, you don't own me,"

"Sit down, Chloe," he snapped, pushing her back gently but as she fell, her heel snapped audibly and she tumbled to the floor. Lex's face fell as she realised what he had done and he dropped to his knees. "Are you okay? I'm so sorry,"

"No, you broke my shoe and I've hurt my leg," Lex tried to stroke her hair and face but she pushed him away. "Stop it; I'm still mad at you. You can't make things okay with a hug and a kiss. It's not that easy,"

"I'm sorry, I do love you, Chloe," he whispered, kissing her shoulder and moving to her neck but she shrugged him away a little harder.

"No, Lex," she said finally but as she went to push him away, he grabbed both wrists and twisted them behind her back. "You're hurting me," She twisted her wrists back in a futile attempt to break Lex's hold on her. He didn't seem to hear her pleading, he was whispering into her neck and hair but she couldn't make out any words and when he crushed her mouth with his own, she felt sick. He tasted of cigars and sweet alcohol and it was making her ill, she wanted him off her but she was practically pinned to the floor.

"I love you," he said again, holding her hands above her head with one hand while the other stroked its way up her thigh, pushing material aside as it went.

"Lex, please stop. I don't want to do this," she cried, hoping that Lex would hear the anguish in her voice and realise that he was just being drunk and stupid. He would never hurt her in the real world, he was drunk, he had to be drunk. He ignored her. His fingers gently touched the soft lace of her panties and she squirmed; it was usually enough to persuade her to make love but this wasn't some excuse about being tired for him to overcome, Lex was on top of her and she really didn't want this. In a last ditch attempt to escape, she bucked her body enough to free her hands and immediately pushed him off, jumping to her feet and pulling her dress down. He stood up too, reaching out to her.

"Come on, baby," he smiled, stroking her bare shoulder. His voice was thick with scotch and desire and Chloe wanted to leave, she couldn't deal with him like this. "I just wanted to show you I was sorry,"

"No, you have been such a dick tonight," snapped Chloe and with that, Lex jerked his hand away, tearing away the dress' spaghetti strap he had been caressing. Her hand went up instinctively to hold the fabric in place and protect her modesty, even from her boyfriend. "You bastard," she screamed and slapped him hard across the face. She regretted it instantly, the sound still hung on the air and Lex's cheek bloomed rose red almost immediately. She was about to apologise for losing it when he hit her back, only he had put all of his weight and strength behind it and Chloe tumbled to the floor again. Her eyes stinging with tears and her cheekbone felt as if it had been shattered into a thousand pieces. She looked up at him, the horror of what he had done etched on his face, evident in his eyes but it was far too late. They had lost their tempers with each other before, they were both passionate people and it was to be expected but Lex had never hit her before, even when she had attacked him first. She swallowed back her tears hard and shakily, got back onto her feet. Her knees felt like jelly and she was convinced she would fall again but she stood firm.

"I'm so sorry, I can't believe that just happened, I'm so sorry," he babbled.

"Forget it," she sniffed, her attempts at holding back the tears failing miserably. "I'm going home, we're through," She grabbed her shawl and handbag, walking out of the study and into the hallway, picking up the phone and ordering a taxi for as soon as possible. Lex followed her, running a hand absent-mindedly over his head as the events of tonight sank in, all colour had drained from his cheeks.

"I've never done anything like that before, I think I've had too much to drink," he said, trying not to cry at the sight of Chloe's eye, starting to swell. "God Chloe, I am so sorry," He felt stupid and drunk and pathetic, how could he have hurt her? There was just no excuse for it, he had let go of all his barriers and attempted to rape his girlfriend. The thought made him feel sick to his stomach; he would never be able to make it up to her. He had tried to rape her and when she fought him off, he had hit her. No amount of alcohol in the world could be an excuse for him now, he was disgusted with himself.

"They're just words, they don't mean anything," she said, limping on the broken heel of her shoe to the front door. "I do love you but this… this it too much," She touched her eye tenderly out of curiosity, it was painful and she was shocked at how hard he had hit her. Maybe the alcohol had robbed him of judgment but she didn't care anymore. Pushing her over was an accident but smacking her back down to the floor was not. She took her shoes off and opened the front door; it took all of her willpower not to look back at him as she ran out of the manor and down the driveway, out of the main gates and onto the road. She would rather wait for her taxi in the dark chill of the night than stay in that house, giving him the chance to win her back with words. His favourite weapon.

She could've cried with relief when the taxi arrived if she weren't already crying from the mess of the evening. She climbed into the back seat and glanced up at the manor, the sobs sticking in her throat. The driver asked if she was okay and she nodded with a half-smile, he accepted her lies and asked where they were heading; Chloe was about to say 'Pleasant Meadows' when she changed her mind and said, "Kent Farm,". She didn't know the reasons why but she needed Clark right now, she needed someone to hold her as she sobbed and Clark was the best guy in the world for doing just that. The car journey seemed to take no time at all and soon, Chloe found herself stood outside the farm with her shoes in her hands and her dress torn up, make up running down her face with her tears. Right now, she couldn't care less how she looked, she just wanted Clark. She needed to fall into his arms and let the rest of the world disappear. It was way into the early hours of the morning and she didn't want to wake Clark's parents; she picked up some gravel from the dusty yard and threw them at Clark's window.

She had only ever done this once before and smiled to herself as she remembered those childhood days; she was just glad Clark was a light sleeper. He appeared at the window in just his boxer shorts, his eyes still blurry from sleep and his hair a mess of dark brown; Chloe waved and he frowned, moving back from the window and pulling on a t-shirt. As he ran down the let her into the house, he wondered why she was at his window at 3am but when he saw her face, it didn't matter. Nothing did. He ushered her inside and sat her down on the sofa, his hands instinctively moving to her face, caressing her swollen eye gently. She looked up at him in silence, his brow furrowed with concentration as he stroked her skin, trying not to hurt her.

"Who did this? What happened?" he asked finally, Chloe shook her head and fell into Clark's arms, letting the tears fall as if they would never stop. She didn't want to talk about tonight, she just wanted someone to hold her and stroke her hair until she fell asleep. That was all she needed and she knew that Clark would give her anything she needed. She suddenly realised that was why she had come here, she needed Clark.


	7. seven

Author's Note – Yes, it's up quick but I've been away for a fortnight. I've pretty much finished this baby!! g

Chapter Seven

Chloe woke to a strange cacophony of kitchen sounds; the percolator bubbling away, the clatter of pots and pans and hushed voices talking. It was a nice noise to wake up to, her father avoided the kitchen in the morning and Chloe had grown up on coffee and cereal. She blearily opened her eyes, pain shooting through her cheek as she unglued her swollen left eye, a painful reminder of Lex's right hook. Sitting up from the sofa, she noticed a large red t-shirt that she immediately recognised as Clark's on the coffee table and gratefully slipped it over her head. She hadn't exactly relished the thought of greeting the Kents for breakfast in an evening dress from the night before.

"Morning, Chloe. Want some coffee?" asked Martha as Chloe sloped into the kitchen, she smiled and nodded, moving closer to Clark as she noticed everyone was fully dressed for the day. It was irrational but she felt lazy, lounging around someone else's kitchen in the clothes she had slept in.

"Thanks," she murmured as Martha handed her a mug of freshly brewed coffee. Clark must have informed his parents of Chloe's situation as both Martha and Jonathon were avoiding looking at her left eye, she was grateful. It wasn't something she wanted to dwell on, the sooner things returned to normal, the better. She followed Clark to the breakfast table and sat next to him, smiling broadly as Martha dished out a cooked breakfast to everyone. Chloe wished her father could see her now; Gabe Sullivan, the king of cereals would be sick with jealousy at the bacon, eggs, tomatoes and toast that now sat on her plate. She tucked in hungrily, she was sure it was an after-effect of her drinking the night before but she was too hungry to care. It was strange to be having a meal with a family and every so often, she stopped and looked around, listening to Martha and Jonathon as they made small talk and feeling a twinge of jealousy.

"So, are you two going to school today?" asked Jonathon, drinking half of his coffee in one mouthful.

"I don't think so," said Chloe with a smile. "I haven't got any clothes and there isn't enough make-up in the world to cover this," She waved a hand to her bruised eye and Jonathon nodded and looked away, he seemed embarrassed and she regretted mentioning it.

"I'm not going in either," said Clark, looking at Chloe. "I want to make sure you're okay,"

"Just make sure you catch up on anything you miss in class, okay?" said Martha, Clark could tell from her tone that she wasn't keen on him missing school but she understood the reasons. Clark nodded with a smile and stood from the table; Chloe quickly wiped her mouth with her napkin and excused herself, following Clark out to the barn. Up to his 'Fortress of Solitude'. She could practically sense the hundred and one questions bubbling inside him, she wasn't looking forward to any of them.

Chloe collapsed onto the old sofa and sighed softly as Clark sat beside her, staring intently at her bruise and reaching out to brush her hair out of her eyes. She let him, it was nothing more than friendly concern, it was all she would allow it to be. Clark watched her flinch slightly at his touch and wondered if she had even realised. There were so many things he wanted to know but he didn't know where to start, he just couldn't understand how anyone could hurt her or why she had come to him and not Lex. Maybe he should start there.

"Does Lex know about this?" he asked, his fingers still pressed gently against her skin. He couldn't take them away, he felt as though he could heal her if he just kept touching her; he needed to have the contact. "Did you call him or did you just come straight here?"

"Lex knows," she mumbled, she hadn't changed her mind. She was not going to tell Clark what had actually happened, he didn't need to know the intricacies of her doomed relationship. "But we're not together anymore, that's why I came here,"

"But..." Clark was dumbfounded, he had no idea that Chloe and Lex had broken up. How could he have known? "I thought that he was taking you out last night, did you have a fight or something? Did this happen in Metropolis?"

"Clark, usually I would applaud your journalistic instinct for asking the hard-hitting questions but right now, I just want to forget yesterday ever happened," she sighed. "Lex and I are over, and that's the end of it. This stupid bruise will go down and things will be the way they always were, just the way everyone wanted,"

"Hey, calm down, I didn't want this. I wasn't crazy about you and Lex but I didn't want you to break up, I just wanted you to be happy," said Clark, slightly wounded by Chloe's words.

"I know; I'm sorry. I'm just on edge," she said. "Can you please drive me home? Lana will be at school and Dad should be at work by now, I want to throw this dress away. I never want to see it again,"

"No problem," smiled Clark, jumping up and offering her a hand. She accepted it with a smile and the pair of them left the barn and jumped into Clark's truck. Chloe had her shawl and bag but she'd left her shoes in the Kent's living room but there was no reason to go back for them, they were broken now, they needed to be thrown out. Along with her dress.

"Does it hurt?" asked Clark as he turned the corner into Pleasant Meadows, Chloe nodded but remained silent, looking out for her Dad's car. "It must've happened pretty fast for you not to run,"

"I don't remember, it was dark," she said, an easy lie, what did it matter anymore? Her father's car wasn't in the drive when they arrived and Clark jumped out of the truck to open her door. "Ah, you are the perfect gentleman, Clark Kent," she laughed and dug in her bag for her house keys.

Inside, the house was a mess as it always was but something about it felt so good to Chloe. She felt as if she hadn't been home in days, then it dawned on her; she hadn't. She hadn't seen her father in two days, only spoken to him on the phone. Lex had stolen her away from her world and pulled her into his, and she had let him. She didn't know who she was angriest with; Lex or herself.

"Won't your Dad be worried that you didn't come home last night?" asked Clark, Chloe shook her head as she led him into the kitchen. The one room in the house guaranteed to be relatively tidy; she folded her long coat over on of the chairs and filled the kettle with water.

"No, he knows I've been staying over at the mansion. He was fine with it," she said, her casual tone was like a slap across the face to Clark. He hadn't known. He hadn't known that she was staying with Lex, he didn't know anything about their relationship but he could only assume that she had been sharing his bed, that Chloe had slept with him, that they were lovers in every sense of the word. He coughed quietly, clearing his throat of the air trapped there by her casual words. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah," he said, before deciding that he had been lying to Chloe for too long. "Actually, I'm not. I didn't realise that you and Lex were so… I don't know, so far into your relationship," Chloe blushed a little and hopped up onto the sideboard, she was ignorant to the reasons behind Clark's admission.

"I wanted to wait a while but Lex was so persistent and then one night, it just felt right, you know?" she said, Clark stared out of the window. How could he know? He had wanted his one night to be with Chloe, it would never happen now. "We'd spent so many nights just sleeping together; sex just seemed to be the next logical step. Not that anything me and Lex ever did was logical, I wish I'd listened to you, Clark,"

"About what?"

"About Lex, about everything. I think he _was_ too old for me, I thought it would be cool to play at being Mrs Luthor or something but it wasn't. It was hard and it just wasn't fun anymore," she sighed, the kettle was beginning to bubble so she jumped down from the counter and grabbed two mugs from the cupboard above her head. "Tea or coffee?"

"Tea," said Clark. He was still reeling from Chloe's frankness; her relationship with Lex had changed her. She would never have admitted to anything like this to him before, but things were different then as well, Chloe had feelings for him and that's why she hid so much of herself away. Clark knew only too well how many lies you had to tell to the people you loved the most. He sat down at the kitchen table, he would need to be sitting if Chloe was about to go into detail on her relationship with Lex and he could feel that she was desperate to discuss it with someone. She handed him a steaming mug of tea and sat opposite him, taking a sip before starting to talk again.


	8. eight

Chapter Eight

When the doorbell rang, Clark was grateful for the interruption; talking with Chloe had become intense and he was desperate for a break. His feelings for Chloe were still right at the surface, threatening to break through at a moment's notice but it wasn't what she needed right now. She needed Clark to be her rock, to listen to what she had to say and to be there for her. Nothing more. He lifted a hand to his head and ran it through his hair, a frown still etched on his face. When did life get so tough? He unbolted the door and opened it swiftly; Lex eyed Clark with a piqued curiosity and wondered why he was here. Had Chloe told him the whole woeful story? Was he about to be hit by Clark as punishment for his trespasses?

"Lex, what happened to your face? Did they get you too?" he asked, ushering him into Chloe's hallway much to Lex's confusion. Chloe had apparently kept the truth from Clark but without her lies to fall back on, Lex didn't want to say anything to his best friend.

"Never mind that now, Clark. Where is she? I need to see her, is she okay?" Lex practically ran through to the kitchen where Chloe was waiting for Clark. The icy glare she shot him was enough to pierce his heart but he hadn't come to her home expecting things to be easy. He saw her hard stare falter as she focused on his own bruised eye; but it was nothing compared to hers and he felt sick at the thought of hurting her. Clark followed Lex through into the kitchen, unsure of whether to leave or stay.

"What are you doing here, Lex?" asked Chloe, staring into her third mug of tea and avoiding his gaze.

"I needed to see you," he said simply. She looked up at him, unshed tears were stinging her eyes but she wouldn't cry for him, not now. "I wanted to tell you how sorry I am, I don't want to accept that we're over. There's so much left to say to each other," Clark sighed softly and moved away from the kitchen and out to the hallway, walking slowly through to the living room and collapsing onto Chloe's sofa. It was obvious that his two friends still had a lot to deal with whether they were together or not, his permanent state of confusion over Chloe had lessened at the knowledge that she had clearly been the one to end it with Lex. It didn't mean anything though, he could declare his undying love for Chloe but she had been pretty clear that day in the Torch office. He had blown every chance she had ever given him.

"Lex," sighed Chloe as he sat down opposite her and grabbed her hand before she had chance to retract it. "Please don't do this now, I just want to forget last night and get on with my life,"

"I understand that but why can't we get on with life together? I think you're writing this off too early," he said, his voice betrayed no emotion but Chloe could tell from the look in his eyes that he wanted her back desperately. Her eyes flickered to the bruise she had inflicted with her own attack, she had misjudged her own strength, or Lex just bruised easily. Instinctively, her hand flew up to her own bruise, touching it lightly as if to ensure it was still there, she winced softly at the pain. Lex was silent, his eyes fixed on her bruise and her fingers prodding it inquisitively. "God, Chloe, I am so sorry. I can't believe that it happened, I woke up this morning convinced it was all some bad dream,"

"I wish it was," she sighed, draining her mug of tea and standing from the table, walking to the kettle and refilling it. They said that strong, sweet tea was good for shock but after three mugs of it, she was still reeling from the events of the last twenty four hours. "Lex, I know that it was an accident. I don't hate you for it or anything but it was just… it was the icing on the cake, y'know?"

"No," he snapped, shaking his head. "I don't know and I wish you could just be straight with me. Do you love me?" Chloe closed her eyes, she wasn't even looking at him but she knew that he would be staring at her, somehow attempting to see through her body and into her soul.

"Yes," she whispered, she still didn't turn around. She heard Lex's chair squeak on the kitchen floor and sighed as she felt his hands on her hips, turning her to face him. She could feel tears streaming silently down her cheeks but rather than getting embarrassed, she let him wipe them away gently before leaning forward and pressing his lips to hers. She returned his affections for a brief moment before gently pushing him away, shaking her head softly. "No, I can't do this again, Lex,"

"Why not?" he asked, pushing her hair behind her ears and stroking the soft skin of her cheek, down to her neck. He had missed waking up beside her that morning; he had missed waking before her and watching as she slept, he missed that tiny intake of breath as she opened her eyes, as if she had been on a precipice and then suddenly pulled back by invisible arms. She couldn't help but respond to Lex being so close to her, her hands stroked down his arms over and over again as they stood in silence.

The turmoil of her mind was overwhelming her, she had just spent an hour telling Clark every reason why she and Lex couldn't be together, every reason why she had ended it but now, now that he was standing in front of her, her heart in his hands, she felt lost. He was staring down at her intently, it was that same look he had at the birthday party, the look that had captured her heart and convinced her to just bite the bullet and kiss him. Would one more chance really hurt? Was she throwing something away with Lex on the back of a few bad experiences? She was drawn back to his bruise, she wondered if it still hurt and raised her hand, gently poking the soft purple skin as she had her own. He watched her in fascination as she stroked and prodded the skin around his eye, her brow furrowed with questioning and concentration. He did love her. It hit him at that moment as if it had been obvious all along, he really did love her. He reached up and held her hand, moving it away from his face as he stepped into the space between them. She stared up at him, smiling slightly as he leaned down and kissed her again, and this time she let him, responding with the same sense of urgency.

Clark, bored of waiting, jumped up from the sofa and wandered through the hallway and pushed open the kitchen door. Lex and Chloe were still wrapped in each others' arms and Clark's heart fell a little at seeing the couple reunited but deep down, he was happy for Chloe. She deserved someone who made her smile; she deserved someone who made her happy. He walked towards the front door and wondered how many chances she would be willing to give Lex, cursing himself for wasting his own.

He let the door slam shut behind him.

**FIN**


End file.
